In case you haven’t seen the news or Social Media, Simply Be have a new advertising campaign.

Titled ‘The New Icons’ I was quite excited to see the outcome. Perhaps it would feature people I knew; bloggers, influencers, customers and Instagram stars.

So it was with bated breath that I opened up the link to the new campaign.

I was….. dumbfounded.

Instead of New Icons all I found was the same old tired advertising that we have had shoved down our throats for the past umpteen years.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not being harsh towards the models of the campaign. They are stunningly beautiful ladies, pretty, leggy, and curvy. I would hazard a guess that not a single one of them is over a size 16-18.

New Icons? Same old Same

Everything a large percentage of customers of Simply Be are not.

The company prides itself on shouting about the fact that they cater for sizes 12 – 32. Yet there is not a single ‘Icon’ who represents the full range that they sell!

For too many years we have been given short shrift. We get the scraps from the table. Companies want the fat pound but will use the smallest plus size models possible to sell us their wares.

Yes we do, but not the ones Simply Be are offering us!

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that what looks good on a size 16 won’t look the same on a size 32. It could still look bloody good, but equally it could look terrible. However there is no frame of reference. Companies won’t take that huge step and give it a go.

The biggest disappointment in the ‘New Icon’ campaign is that there is no inclusivity. As I have previously mentioned, the models are beautiful, young and curvy.

There is not a peep of anyone different.

No short, young, disabled, trans, multi-racial, tall, older, tattooed, vintage, pierced, alternative, non-binary, unusual looking people. Not a sniff of a regular every day person who spends their hard earned cash on Simply Be’s wares.

Gorgeous….. but nothing like my plus size friends and I

Simply Put there is no-one in the campaign that looks like me, my friends, my peers or the people I follow on Social Media.

As a size 26 woman who is only 5ft 2 tall and over the age of 40, I would like to think of myself as someone who loves her clothes and rocks her style. Whilst I prefer a vintage look, I do purchase items from Simply Be whether they have a vintage vibe or not. I have a huge wardrobe with literally thousands of pounds worth of clothing inside.

I have thought nothing of paying $150 or more on a dress from the USA. I have Fat pounds and I am not afraid to spend them! The hubby knows this better than anyone.

Except here I am being fed again scraps from the fat table. Again.

Absolutely Stunning! And tall, young, smaller plus size!

Don’t get me wrong. As I have said I think the ladies in the campaign are absolute stunners however they are not what we need, want and deserve to see in these campaigns.

In recent years some brands and companies have taken the bull by the horns; using actual customers in their advertising.

Really? Like who?

Snag tights, Curvy Kate, Scarlett & Jo (for whom I and many other customers have modelled) to name but a few.

My friend Josephine. Modelling for Snag tights.

Take for example the picture above; The wonderful Josephine. She is aged 48, 5ft 9 and wears a size 22. She rocks her style (this is a normal everyday look for her) Mixes patterns, prints and materials with flair and verve. She has a sense of style that I envy.

It was for this reason that Snag asked her to model for them as she was buying and wearing their product. You know, A CUSTOMER!

She took part in a shoot with so much diversity and the photographer Louise Brynjulfsen made everything funky, fresh and fun.

If they can do it, why can’t some of the biggest brands out there?

I would like to say that I am disappointed in the #newicons campaign but to be honest it is totally what I have come to expect.

Not the silhouette of a regular plus size person

Exactly what the advertising department think we deserve.

But we deserve so much more than this. We deserve to see others like ourselves showing us how damn fabulous we can all look.

And I could probably name a dozen or more people who could rock a campaign just like this. Absolutely blow it out of the water.

Now, there’s a thought……. How about using real customers in real campaigns?

Totally gorgeous. But standard size, no rolls, ripples or back fat

Show the world what #reallifeicons look like?

Seems a bit like common sense to me. Isn’t it time that the companies and advertising agencies get with it and give us what we want and deserve?

It really isn’t hard to do.

You just need to try a bit harder. In fact, there are a lot of influencers, bloggers, instastars, facebook queens that I could give you if you need a bit of help.

So young and pretty

Or as a company you could just look on your Simply Be page and see the comments on the #newicons postings. I think they say just about all they need to say.

In conclusion, Simply Be – Up your game and give your customers what they need and deserve.

More. So Much More.

Till next time

SPSG xxx

**** For clarity, Simply Be Photographs are taken from their Social Media campaign and all copyright belongs to them****